Summary & Overview
CPT 47382: Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver Tumor
CPT code 47382 represents percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of one or more liver tumors using a minimally invasive, image-guided approach. This procedure is an important treatment option for focal hepatic malignancies and metastases, offering a less invasive alternative to open surgical resection. Nationally, RFA procedures impact care pathways for oncology patients by providing a targeted local therapy that can reduce hospital stay and recovery time for appropriate candidates.
Key payers included in the analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of payer coverage patterns, reimbursement benchmarks where available, and clinical context that frames when CPT code 47382 is applied. The publication summarizes common billing considerations, site-of-service implications, and typical clinical indications for hepatic tumor ablation.
What readers will learn: concise benchmarks for utilization and payment (where available), summary of coverage policies among major national payers, and clinical context describing the procedure's role in liver tumor management. Data not provided in the input (such as specific reimbursement amounts, detailed payer policy language, associated taxonomies, and ICD-10 diagnoses) is noted as unavailable and therefore omitted from the analysis.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 47382 describes a procedure in which a provider uses radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to destroy one or more tumors in the liver through a minimally invasive percutaneous approach. The service is categorized as an image-guided, tumor ablation procedure targeting hepatic lesions.
Service Type: Percutaneous radiofrequency tumor ablation
Typical Site of Service: Ambulatory surgical center or hospital outpatient department, performed under image guidance with conscious sedation or anesthesia as appropriate.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 68-year-old patient with a history of colorectal cancer presents with two new focal lesions in the right hepatic lobe identified on contrast-enhanced MRI. Percutaneous image-guided radiofrequency ablation is planned to treat up to three liver tumors in a single session. The patient is evaluated pre-procedure with liver function tests, coagulation studies, and cross-sectional imaging to localize lesions. On the day of service the patient arrives to an outpatient interventional radiology suite or hospital-based procedure room. Under conscious sedation or monitored anesthesia care, the interventional radiologist uses ultrasound or CT guidance to place a percutaneous radiofrequency electrode through the skin into each tumor and delivers thermal energy to achieve tumor necrosis. Post-ablation imaging is obtained immediately to assess treatment zone and to evaluate for complications. The patient is observed for several hours and either discharged home the same day (outpatient) or admitted for overnight observation (inpatient) depending on comorbidities, procedure complexity, and institutional protocols.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when reporting only the physician's service separate from the facility/technical component for imaging or interpretation related to the procedure if applicable. |